1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a vision system. More specifically it relates to an electronic cockpit vision system to enable maintaining control of an aircraft and its systems when the cockpit has become invaded with dense and continuous smoke. The system must provide adequate information and feedback to perform continued flight and landing of the aircraft, while substantially simulating the normal visual operating conditions of the cockpit environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dense and continuous smoke in the cockpit of an aircraft is a very serious condition normally resulting in the death of all aboard. Loss of the aircraft typically occurs within 6 to 12 minutes. Without reference to instruments or horizon a crew cannot maintain control for more than a very short time.
It can be appreciated that different forms of vision systems have been in use for years. Typically, a vision system is comprised of either the Emergency Visual Assurance System (EVAS) (U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,673 by Werjefelt) or SMOKESCOPE (U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,899 by Fuchs). More recent vision systems for smoke filled cockpits have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,749 by Smith and U.S. patent application No. 20010010225 by Kind Code and Leo Keller.
Vision systems mounted in the helmet of the pilot have been used for low visibility flight conditions, such as night flying. Such a vision system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,177 by Cohen. U.S. Pat. No. 5,296,854 discloses a pilot helmet with a visor display system that enables a pilot to view a video image of the external world in low visibility flight conditions. The vision systems designed for external low visibility flight conditions are not sufficient for the unique circumstances of vision interference that are presented by a smoke filled cockpit.
SMOKESCOPE (U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,899 by Fuchs) is a hand held tube, with a lens at each end, which is said to be an aid to viewing instruments in smoke. Its real use in landing is questionable in that it would give a narrow field of view. Being a hand held unit the SMOKESCOPE would demand a single-handed landing, negating pilot throttle control.
EVAS (U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,673 by Werjefelt) is a vision system that relies on a transparent tailored bag, which inflates with filtered smoke/air. The transparent bag displaces the smoke between a pilot""s eyes, his primary flight instruments and the windshield. The bag contains air that has been substantially filtered to remove the smoke particles. The pilot presses his face and eyes against one end of the transparent bag, while the other end rests on the flight instruments and the windshield.
The main problem with this conventional vision system is that the EVAS is folded and packed in a container. It must be removed, placed on the glare shield and positioned, as it inflates, between the yoke and the instruments where it remains. It expands upwards to present a window to the pilot and another to the windshield. The same action must be then accomplished for the second pilot.
Another problem with this conventional vision system is that at a time in aircraft development when all emphasis is on reducing crew workload thru electronic systems, EVAS gives them more to do and at such a critical time during an emergency flight and landing. Thus, there is a need for a vision system that is easy to implement and operate.
Another problem with this conventional vision system is that when deployed EVAS gives a view of only the basic flight instruments and the flight path. EVAS does not address the need to view and adjust all the other cockpit controls required to keep an aircraft operating and flying. To view anything else it must be distorted and shoved around. The movement of the transparent bag requires a two handed job for a man with both hands already full. Controls on the center glare shield panel (typically auto pilot controls) are not viewable, nor are communications, transponder and radar on the center control console with EVAS in its normally deployed position. Furthermore, overhead panel controls cannot be viewed with EVAS normally deployed nor can floor mounted controls, such as the emergency landing gear release.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,749 by Smith is an emergency operating system for piloting an aircraft in a smoke filled cockpit. The system in the xe2x80x98749xe2x80x99 patent does disclose a facemask configured to surround a user""s eyes and form an airtight seal. The facemask includes a screen viewable by the user for displaying critical flight operating information. A section of the display screen is clear plastic, which allows viewing of the cockpit through the facemask provided that there is only partial vision obscuring of the cockpit due to the smoke infiltration. An embodiment of the system has a hand-operated communication device that enables non-verbal communication with others. The communication device includes pre-recorded messages to be transmitted to an air traffic controller during an emergency situation. Another embodiment includes a respirator that is integral to the mask, which provides oxygen to the user.
The only video displays transmitted to the facemask by the xe2x80x98749xe2x80x99 patent system are the minimum aircraft operating system information and external aircraft images from an externally mounted video camera. Minimum aircraft operating system information can include air speed, altitude, compass heading, rolling angle, pitching angle, path angle, landing gear, flaps and fuel. Attitude could also be included, which is the orientation of an aircraft""s axes relative to the horizon or some other reference line. The aircraft operating system information is transmitted from instrument display sources on the aircraft control panel to the facemask by a signal path.
Information that is displayed on the control panel is obtainable, but the system lacks the ability to transmit and display information from other parts of the smoke filled cockpit. The section of the facemask display screen that is clear plastic will provide viewing of the other areas of the cockpit, provided that there is minimal smoke infiltration and partial visibility exists within the cockpit. Unfortunately for the pilot, the clear plastic display screen ceases to be effective under severe smoke conditions when internal cockpit visibility is totally obscured. Viewing landing charts, printed information and location of hand controls is severely compromised or totally unavailable during full infiltration of smoke into the cockpit.
Performing the necessary hand movements on the flight controls when the controls and levers cannot be seen is a hazardous task. A good pilot knows by tactile perception the general location of the controls for adjusting the position of the wing flaps. Unfortunately the wing flap controls may be located in close proximity to other controls. Quick multiple movements must be performed to maintain control of the aircraft during an emergency landing situation. Cockpit vision is completely or substantially obscured by the smoke during this chaotic time. Hurried adjustment of the wrong control lever can result in disastrous consequences. A system that provided visual feedback for tactile hand movements would be most advantageous for the survival of the aircraft and pilots.
U.S. patent application No. 20010010225 by Leo Keller et al, discloses a similar facemask vision display system for displaying control panel information, a clear lens for interior viewing and an oxygen apparatus for smoke filled environments. Additionally, the system by Keller provides for Global Positioning System (GPS) data as part of the emergency flight data. The system can include a power supply independent of the normal power supply. As before, this prior art system by Keller does not provide sufficient and effective capability to view landing charts, printed information and the location of hand controls in a cockpit fully immersed in smoke, where the cockpit has essentially no internal visibility.
While these prior art devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not fully developed as a vision system to enable appropriate maintenance of control, in continued flight and landing, of an aircraft and its systems when the cockpit has become invaded with dense and continuous smoke.
Furthermore, the prior art devices do not provide the visual information and images on a display screen, which will substantially emulate the depth perception that the pilot experiences under normal operating conditions.
Therefore, there is a need for a system to provide a more expansive vision of instrument controls and provide feedback regarding information necessary for the proper emergency operation of an aircraft from a smoke filled cockpit. The system should not rely on normal viewing through the clear lens section of a facemask, since this option is not adequate in dense smoke that substantially obscures cockpit visibility. The system should provide visual feedback on hand controls, printed landing charts and other non-electronic information. The system should provide depth perception relationships between the various presentations of information, which recreates the impression of normal operating conditions.
In these respects, the inventive aspects of the electronic cockpit vision system substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of a vision system providing enhanced depth perception and increased information to enable maintenance of control of an aircraft and its systems during continued emergency flight and landing, when the cockpit has become invaded with dense and continuous smoke.
An objective of the electronic cockpit vision system is providing a virtual screen that will substantially emulate the depth perception that the pilot experiences under normal operating conditions. This depth perception can significantly enhance the pilot""s comfort level and capability to operate the aircraft under chaotic emergency conditions. On a virtual screen the electronic cockpit vision system restores the pilot""s view, allowing the pilot to operate the aircraft and continue emergency flight and landing.
An objective of the electronic cockpit vision system is providing adequate viewing of landing charts and other printed information during full infiltration of smoke into the cockpit environment. A handheld scanner is integrated into the system to fulfill this requirement. Substantial benefit is derived, in that emergency landing charts of local airports or topography can be located and read despite the dense smoke. The crew can read approach plates for a landing on an unfamiliar airport.
Further benefit is achieved by scanning and viewing an emergency check-list of procedures to be performed during the chaotic episode of a forced landing. The system enables crewmembers to read their checklists for emergency and normal procedures unobstructed by smoke.
Another objective of the electronic cockpit vision system is allowing visual feedback of the effect of hand controls that steer the aircraft. It is possible, but very difficult to make the necessary hand movements on the controls when the controls can only be felt and their effect not seen. The controls for adjusting the angle of the flaps are often located in close proximity to other controls. Rapid movements must be performed to control the aircraft during an emergency landing situation. Inadvertent adjustment of the wrong lever or control in the dense smoke can result in disastrous consequences.
Crewmembers can locate, read and adjust controls such as fuel management, hydraulics, electrical load shedding, pressurization, flap settings, radio frequencies and landing gear when the cockpit is filled with smoke and thus continue the complex tasks of total aircraft flight management. An advantage of the electronic cockpit vision system is the ability of viewing everything, high or low, within reach of the crew hands via their wrist mounted cameras without significant additional effort.
The benefit of visual feedback for tactile movements of the controls is immense. A windshield camera is provided for the necessary electronic visual feedback. The combined senses of vision and touch allow the pilot to perform the necessary tactile adjustments of steering controls with far greater speed, confidence and reliability than could be accomplished by memory and finger touch alone. The addition of electronic vision within the cockpit environment substantially enhances the chance of survival for the aircraft and occupants.
Furthermore, electronic vision is a great aid in locating the correct emergency landing chart. Printed information is often stored in a compartment, until it is required for emergency use. Many of the airplane controls are located in a fixed position on the instrument panel where they can be somewhat located by memory and hand tactile perception. This fixed position is not sufficient for utilizing the landing charts and other printed information. The pilot does not know beforehand when and where a smoke filled cockpit will occur, or where it may force him to land. The correct landing chart or section of a particular chart must be located within a binder of many landing charts. The procedure is most difficult with just the use of a handheld scanner. The wrist-mounted camera creates electronic visual feedback for locating the correct landing chart, which supplements the subsequent act of scanning the proper chart for transmission of the image onto the virtual screen.
Another objective of the new electronic cockpit vision system is quick and easy implementation of the system under emergency conditions. An advantage of the electronic cockpit vision system is that the pilot can quickly position the various components for rapid operation.
Another objective is to provide a vision system to enable maintenance of control, in continued flight and landing, of an aircraft and its systems when the cockpit has become invaded with dense and continuous smoke. The electronic cockpit vision system allows the pilots to regain adequate vision in a smoke filled cockpit so they may effectively continue flight and execute an emergency landing. The pilots can electronically view the required emergency instruments when they are obscured with smoke or blanketed with soot. The system enables pilots when caught in an otherwise fatal position to get the passengers and themselves on the ground alive.
Another object is to provide an electronic cockpit vision system that electronically enables crewmembers to see the flight and landing path outside the windshield without obstruction of cockpit smoke or soot. For the accomplishment of this objective, a protective gasket surrounding the windshield camera provides a sealed cavity that prevents the ingress of smoke into the windshield camera.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide an electronic cockpit vision system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices. In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of vision systems now present in the prior art and in view of the technical breakthrough represented by the subsequent introduction of the Electronic Standby Instrument System (ESIS), the present invention provides a new electronic cockpit vision system construction or xe2x80x9cSeeThruSmokexe2x80x9d (STS), which can be utilized for a vision system to enable maintenance of control, in continued flight and landing, of an aircraft and its systems when the cockpit has become invaded with dense and continuous smoke.
The Electronic Standby Instrument System (ESIS) now being delivered as part of the standard package of cockpit instruments on new transport aircraft, and being available for retrofit on all aircraft, presents to the pilot all the attitude, altitude and navigational information he needs to accomplish an emergency decent and landing all on one independently powered instrument. The STS, electronic cockpit vision system, enables him to view and use this information and see his flight/landing path even when his vision is inhibited by dense and continuous cockpit smoke. The electronic cockpit vision system utilizes the existing information provided by the ESIS. Additionally the electronic cockpit vision system significantly enhances the information provided and the virtual screen provides depth perception to the pilot in viewing the information.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new electronic cockpit vision system that has many of the advantages of the vision systems mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new electronic cockpit vision system, which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art vision systems, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises an electronic signal converter and memory unit with data base decoder, a scanner, a windshield video camera, one or more cockpit video camera(s), one goggle per required crewmember (normally not more than 3) equipped with two eye level electronic video display imaging modules and their related circuitry and controls, one battery backed-up power supply of the required voltages, one set of cables, wires and plugs to interconnect the above items.
The signal converter processes the signals from the windshield camera, the ESIS (Electronic Standby Instrument System), the cockpit cameras and the scanner. The signals are modified by the signal converter and combined for transmission to the goggle, where the information is presented to the crew as a virtual image upon a virtual screen.
The scanner can be held in one hand, while scanning emergency procedure checklists, landing charts, maps and other printed information. The information is transmitted to the goggle screen. The emergency checklist, pre-loaded in the conveter, assists the pilot in calmly and quickly performing the correct procedures in a chaotic situation.
The windshield camera is a video camera with normal day/high night sensitivity. This is mounted on the windshield or on a swing down bracket above it. Windshield cameras are known in the prior art.
The cockpit camera(s) consist of one or more wrist-mountable illuminated mini video camera(s). The cockpit camera can be pointed for viewing of any object within the cockpit by a simple movement of the pilot""s wrist. Steering controls, flap adjustments, location of printed information and additional instrumentation panel readings can all be obtained through the skilled movement of the cockpit camera. The ESIS system transmits to the smoke goggle screen the essential flight information, while viewing and control of additional instrumentation can be achieved with the video image provided by the cockpit camera.
The goggles comprise of one set (1 to 3) of electronic video display equipped qualified smoke-goggles or over-goggles. The goggles receive electronic video images from the ESIS, hand-held scanner, cockpit camera and the windshield camera. The video images from each input are displayed on different display areas of the virtual screen.
A power supply of the required voltages is fed from an independent standby battery. The ESIS is equipped with its own standby battery, which is independent of the battery system that powers the cockpit instrumentation during normal operation. Many newer planes built after the year 2000 are equipped with an ESIS. The independent standby battery from the ESIS can be used to power the electronic cockpit vision system or an additional independent standby battery can be supplied with the electronic cockpit vision system.
Following is a brief description on the method of operation of the system. On recognizing a potential smoke emergency the crew locates the windshield camera and turns on the power switch located on the signal converter. Flight Manual procedures are carried out as mandated.
When smoke becomes dense and loss of vision is anticipated the pilot dons the goggles. He then turns on the goggles using the momentary button mounted on the goggles at eye level. The pilot confirms he has vision of the flight path thru the windshield camera in his display with the standby electronic flight instrument center overlaid on it. The co-pilot then dons his goggles, plugs them in and turns them on. The pilot then dons his wrist camera and plugs it into the face of the signal converter. Both pilots can see the wrist camera images in the lower right window on their displays. Both pilots have identical displays.
The crew is now back in control and can resume emergency decent and landing. At any time either crewmember may scroll thru emergency and other information stored in the system, which both pilots will see in a window at the left of their screen. Approach plates or anything else scanned in, or in memory, will appear when scrolled up in this window. The scrolling momentary switch is located on the goggles.
In one version, there are three switches mounted on the goggle. Two over the left eye control the emergency checklist display and its page scrolling function. One over the right eye controls the size of the ESIS presentation and its location on the screen. An on/off button is mounted on both the hand camera and scanner.
There has thus been outlined the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter.
In this respect, before explaining embodiments of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.